Ronnie and Lacy were about to kiss but Lacy moves her head. “I don’t think I should kiss him.” Lacy thinks to herself. Robert was out of the bathroom and went to his bedroom. He didn’t see Ronnie.
“Where is Ronnie?” Robert wondered. “I didn’t see him downstairs either.” Robert sat down on the bed and pulled a cigarette out to smoke.
Ronnie was touching Lacy’s face in the attic. Lacy was blushing at him. “You know, I thought you were cute the moment I first saw you.” Ronnie said looking into Lacy’s eyes.
“Y-You did?” Lacy nervously asked. Her heart was beating fast. Her face was completely red.
“Even right now, you look cute to me.” Ronnie smiles devilishly as he put her face close to his. Lacy wasn’t sure if they were going to kiss or not. Their lips touched. Ronnie had his first kiss with Lacy.
It was early in the morning. 3 AM. Ronnie was sitting on his bed. Thinking of Lacy. “I kissed her. I really did it. Do I love her or just have a crush on her?” Ronnie asks himself. He was blushing a little as his mind just thought of Lacy. “I liked the kiss with her. She seemed cute acting all shy afterward.” Ronnie smiles a little.
Robert woke up and stared at Ronnie. “You aren’t asleep yet?” Robert asked Ronnie.
“Nah, I can’t sleep.” Ronnie answered truthfully.
“Why can’t you?” Robert asked sitting up.
“I keep thinking of Lacy.”
“Why do you keep thinking about her?” Robert asked curiously. Just asking Ronnie about it made him felt strange.
“I don’t know. Do you like her?” Ronnie asked.
“I don’t believe in love.” Robert answered.
“Oh yeah, I forgot.” Ronnie laughed a little. “Can I tell you something?”
“Sure?”
“Today… I was talking to Lacy. Earlier. We were talking and um… she was upset. She started crying and I hugged her. I just tried to comfort her, and we ended up kissing each other.” Ronnie said a little embarrassed. Robert felt jealous hearing about it for some strange reason.
“Why would you want to kiss her?” Robert rudely asked.
“I…I don’t know. I guess I like her.” Ronnie answered nervously.
“I almost kissed Lacy too. But I…I didn’t get to. Ronnie got to kiss her before me.” Robert felt angry about it. He gets up off the bed and left the bedroom.
“I wonder what’s the matter with him?” Ronnie asks himself feeling confused about Robert. Robert went to step outside. He felt mad at Ronnie.
“Lacy kisses him! Why?! Ronnie isn’t important! Why did she kiss him?!” Robert felt mad. He felt like he wanted to punch Ronnie. “I need to calm down. Why am I getting so jealous anyways? I don’t love Lacy. Love doesn’t exist.” Robert mumbles to himself.
Some days have gone by. Each day, Robert and Ronnie hung with Craig and Max. Bryan and Lacy came along too sometimes. Ronnie and Lacy were acting a bit strange around each other, but soon got over it after a week had gone by.
It was nighttime. Craig was spending the night over Max’s house. “Is your dad still getting help?” Max asked his friend.
“Yes. He still is.” Craig answered honestly. “My sister and I still have to stay with our grandparents.”
“My grandpa came back two days ago, but he might have to go out again. He’s not home all the time.” Max said and looked down. “I always wished I had siblings to talk to. I get so lonely when he leaves. Before, he used to get his sister to watch me, but not anymore. Ever since I became a teenager.”
“I know about that.” Craig laid down.
“Hey, let’s watch some porn!” Max smiles.
Robert was outside of his house. He was staring at the house next door. The house that Lacy used to live in. The place where he met her. “It seems like it was just yesterday when I met Lacy.” Robert thought to himself. It was actually quite some time ago now. Ronnie came outside.
“What are you doing?” Ronnie asked Robert.
“Just sitting here.” Robert responded.
“I keep thinking I might ask Lacy out.” Ronnie said. Robert didn’t like hearing that. “I keep thinking I like her. A lot. I might ask her out on a date for today.”
“Do what you want.” Robert coldly replies and walks away from Ronnie. “Him taking Lacy out on a date? What is this? I helped her more.” Robert started to feel jealous again, but he didn’t understand why. He was confused on why he was feeling like this.
Ronnie went into the house and went to Lacy who was sitting on the sofa and was watching TV. Ronnie felt a little nervous, but decided to get courage. “Want to go somewhere with me tomorrow?” Tomorrow was a Saturday.
“I guess…” Lacy answers. She blushes a little looking at Ronnie. “Is anyone else coming?”
“Just the two of us.” Ronnie responds.
“A date?” Lacy wondered to herself. She never been on a date before. Robert came into the house and heard Ronnie asking Lacy out. He felt mad about it. He quickly went upstairs and to his bedroom.
“I hate that Ronnie thinks he can just ask her out!” Robert blurts out in his bedroom. He was glaring. He felt furious. He turned his radio on and began to listen to rock music.
“Do I hear music?” Lacy asked. She heard it coming from downstairs.
“Might be Robert playing it.” Ronnie answers. Bryan came into Robert’s bedroom.
“Why are you playing loud music? Daddy is going to be home and so is Lacy’s mom. What if they get mad?” Bryan asked.
“I don’t give a fuck!” Robert punches the wall. It made a hole in it. He felt angry.
“R-Robert. You put a hole in the wall!” Bryan felt like Robert was going to get in trouble for making a hole in the wall.
“Shut up! I’ll cover it up. Now get out of here!” Robert snaps at Bryan. Bryan quickly left the bedroom. Robert slams the door and locks it. Bryan went downstairs and went to the living room.
“Why did I hear a door slam?” Ronnie asked.
“Robert seems like he’s in a bad mood. He put a hole in the wall!” Bryan tells Ronnie.
“He what?!” Ronnie couldn’t believe what Bryan said. Robert putting a hole in the wall. He went upstairs to see what was wrong with Robert.
“Do you know what’s wrong with Robert?” Bryan asked Lacy.
“I don’t know.” Lacy replies honestly. Ronnie goes into the bedroom with Robert.
“Are you okay?” Ronnie asked Robert. There was no answer. “You should turn the radio down!” Robert turned it off. “Why are you mad?? Ronnie asks.
“I don’t need to tell you.” Robert says and sits down on the bed.
“This doesn’t have to do with the fact that I asked Lacy out on a date, does it?” Ronnie asked. Robert didn’t respond. “I bet it does. Do you like her too?”
“NO! I don’t! I don’t believe in love.” Robert rudely answered back. He wasn’t sure how he felt about Lacy, but he didn’t like being asked about it.
Lacy was sitting on the sofa downstairs. “I am confused. Ronnie asked me out, but should I go with him? What about Robert?” Lacy’s face was red. Bryan had gone into the kitchen and was eating a snack. “Do I like Ronnie or Robert? Wait… do I even like any of them?” Lacy felt confused. “I just met them not too long ago, but… they both helped me. They both treated me good and didn’t treat me badly. I’m so confused.” Lacy thinks to herself.
“So you don’t mind that I asked Lacy out?” Ronnie asked Robert.
“I don’t.” Robert lied. Something inside of him made him felt like he didn’t like the idea. Where he wanted to punch Ronnie for asking her. He kept that to himself. Ronnie had left the bedroom. Robert just sits there and felt mad still but decided to hold it in.
The next day had come. Ronnie and Lacy had gone out on their date. Robert and Bryan were left home. Brice and Abbilynn had gone to work. “I am not jealous. I don’t love Lacy. Love doesn’t exist.” Robert reminds himself as he was sitting in the living room sitting by Bryan. They both were watching a cartoon on the television.
“What are you talking about?” Bryan asked his older brother hearing him mumble to himself.
“Nothing.” Robert lies and decided to be quiet about it. Ronnie and Lacy were walking together in the town.
“Where would you like to go?” Ronnie asks her.
“You asked me out, you pick the place.” Lacy answered. She then blushes a little. “He asked me out…”
“Hmm… how about here?” Ronnie points to small little café.
“I guess.” Lacy and Ronnie both go inside to eat.
Max and Craig were up at Max’s grandpa’s house. They both just woke up. “It’s fun with no adults around.” Max said laughing.
“I can only spend the night on the weekends, but other than that, I have to sleep over my grandparents’ home. I wish my dad would get better soon.” Craig said looking down.
“Hey, I’m sure that old man will get better.” Max said and was making a bowl of cereal for him and Craig.
“Maybe you’re right.” Craig takes his bowel and was eating his cereal. Max sits down and starts eating too.
“I know so. Just have faith.” Max said reassuring Craig.
Lacy and Ronnie were sitting down at a table. Drinking some milk and having a piece of cake.
“This isn’t what I expected.” Lacy thought to herself, but felt okay.
“You aren’t mad that I asked you out, are you?” Ronnie asked her.
“No. Just surprised. That’s all.” Lacy responds. “Do you think I will…will be able to live…live a normal life after what happened?” Lacy asks nervously.
“You should. Don’t worry about what happened. It won’t happen again.” Ronnie said to her with a smile on his face. “I’ll protect you.” Hearing those words made Lacy blush even more.
“He wants to protect me?” Lacy thought to herself.